What rampant vulture capitalism looks like in Afghanistan

Private security companies have been causing chaos in the country for years. It’s something I examined during my recent visit to the country and will be appearing in a book and documentary on disaster capitalism in 2013.

Here’s just the latest example of of unregulated chaos (via UK Telegraph):

The American military is investigating allegations security contractors got drunk and stoned at an operations centre in Kabul after whistle blowers disclosed film of binge drinking parties.

The footage provided to a news network by former employees allegedly shows contractors downing glasses of spirits, staggering around drunk and wrestling semi-naked despite their firm apparently having a “zero tolerance” policy to drink and drugs.
One of the company’s senior officers is seen in a stupor and unable to speak after apparently injecting himself with ketamine, a powerful anaesthetic.

The men were working for Jorge Scientific, an American firm which has secured more than $1 billion (…£625 million) of US government work, including a $47 million contract in Kabul to train the Afghan police in counter-insurgency efforts.
Two former employees who are now taking legal action against the company told ABC News that the parties put lives at risk and were undetected by US military officers who are supposed to oversee the contractors.

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